No Matter What
by Luckystar4869
Summary: Ai is on a mission: destroy the organisation once and for all! Except that's easier said than done, and when Ran is involved too, it becomes near-impossible...
1. Kidnapped

Disclaimer: Gosho Aoyama owns Detective Conan/Case Closed, because if I owned it, I obviously wouldn't be here writing fan fiction. *Sigh* And Ai Haibara would be the main character, too...

The story starts here...

* * *

"The antidote, Kudo. Here it is."

* * *

{Prologue}

Mouri Ran was walking home, alone. She had been at Sonoko's house before. Ran didn't notice the black car trailing her, until it was too late. Two unfamiliar men dressed in black trenchcoats got out, tackled Ran to the ground, dragged her into their car, and drove off.

----

"Haibara?" Shinichi whispered urgently into the phone. "Are you there?"

"Yes," said Ai, after a pause. "So what you mean is that Ran hasn't come home yet, or hasn't been answering the phone, and you're worried about her."

Shinichi fumed. Trust Ai to make what he had to say sound so insignificant and unnecessary! Ran really wasn't home, and he was almost sure she had been kidnapped. He had traced her route, and found tire marks along a stretch of road, and a clump of long chocolate hair snagged onto a fence. Not to mention Ran's mobile phone dropped on the ground.

"Okay," he heard Ai say. "I was going to look into the Black Organisation anyway, so I'll see if Ran is there." Then the phone hung up.

Shinichi stood for a minute before realising what Ai had said. Did she mean she was going to the Black Organisation headquarters? No, he thought, shaking his head, Ai wouldn't do such a foolish and dangerous thing. Not without him. Right?

----

Ai raced through the streets on Conan's skateboard. Too bad he left it in Professor Agasa's house, so she thought she'd better make use of it. To top off the look, she had on Conan's clothes, the mask voice tranformer in case she had to speak [A/N: I don't know what you call it, that was the translation on the website I read Detective Conan manga], and a wig, which looked exactly like his hairstyle. In any case, she had to do this. And she had to be quick before she changed her mind.

She knew where her destination is. She knew what she had to do. She knew how she was going to do it.

And she was NOT chickening out.

Ai reached the Black Organisation's headquarters with a clear mind. She hid Conan's skateboard in a bush and sneaked into the building through a side exit.

So far, so good.

She navigated her way through the not quite dark, yet not quite well-lit labyrinth-like corridors which snaked everywhere and criss-crossed. She started to make her way to the laboratory she worked at before she relocated, but then remembered Ran. She honestly didn't know where she would be, and decided to follow her gut instinct.

Suddenly she heard a cry, and "Where is this?" and "Let me go!" Ran must be near! She ran as fast as her child body could carry her, and sure enough, there was Ran, struggling against two men in black trenchcoats. She was about to approach when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Where are you going, kiddo?" a voice growled. Ai gave a start. Slloooowwwlllyyy she turned around. Oh no! It was GIN!

_Calm down, calm down..._

Ai forced herself to breathe slowly. Then she remembered Ran, and herself disguised as Conan. She had to pretend that she was here only for Ran.

"Ran nee-chan! Ran nee-chan!" she called out in Conan's childish voice, feeling thankful she wore the mask voice transformer. Ran swivelled around, and caught sight of 'Conan'.

"Conan-kun! WHAT are you DOING HERE?!?" Ran shouted, terrified that 'Conan' will be hurt.

"Oh, so you came for that bitch, did you?" Gin's cruel smile stretched, as his grip on Ai tightened. His voice became a venomous sugary-sweet. "How moving. A little boy here to rescue his nee-chan. Do you want me to tell you why we had to kidnap her, little boy? Do you?"

Ai gulped, staring defiantly at Gin. She already had an idea why, but Gin continued on.

"We have suspicions that this woman is involved with Kudo Shinichi," Gin said, his voice hardening. "If we use this woman as bait for him, then he will most likely come to her aid. And when he does, we will finish the job we failed to accomplish before." Gin smiled cruelly again, and faced Ran. "I'm sure you know what we're going to do."

"Kill him."

* * *

Well, there's the first chapter! Hope you liked it! Sorry, I try the best I can, but if you have ideas on how I can improve it, pleassseee tell me! It would be VERY appreciated! ;)


	2. Saving Lives

Author's Notes: I've got HEAPS of ideas for Detective Conan/Case Closed stories, I just don't have time to write them all! Blast all that homework! Not to mention, since I've got a scholarship to a private school, my parent's aren't letting me go on for too long (by that they mean one houe or something :(). So it's all just 'study, study, study'! :(

Disclaimer: Well, if ya want one then refer to Chapter One.

"Kill him."

Ai wasn't surprised. She had suspected as much, having grown up within the organisation and its sneaky ways. Now, her problem is, how to get Ran our of the headquarters. She herself didn't matter that much; she had deserved this fate, but Ran didn't.

"So what are you planning to do, Gin?" Vodka asked. The lower members of the organisation who had kidnapped Ran had been dismissed.

"Hm. Hard to say. With this brat it gets harder. Well, I suppose when Kudo comes We'll give him a choice to save that bitch and this brat's life, and of course he'll choose her, and then we let the brat go instead. That'll give Kudo some heartache, which is only fair for him causing us so much trouble."

So it was her that was going to get free, Ai thought. Well, that was hardly fair. But she couldn't think of any solutions to this problem. She'll try her best to save them, of course, but some thing are just out of her control. She isn't God, they can't expect her to get everything right, can they?

"Conan-kun!" Ran cried desperately. "Conan-kun!"

"Don't worry. I won't let your precious little brother die," Gin sneered, and threw Ai onto Ran. "I will see to you later. Would you like some water?"

Ran accepted one of the two glasses offered, and took a sip, but Ai cried "No way! Knowing you, it would probably be poisoned!"

"Ha! Well, you would know, wouldn't you, brat. In any case, you WILL get thirsty, and I trust that you will prefer to be poisoned than die of thirst. It isn't a pleasant thing, you know. But, goodnight, brat." And with that Gin took a syringe out of his pocket and stuck it into Ai's arm.

Before Ai had time to react, her eyelids felt as heavy as lead. Laughing, Gin and Vodka left the room, closing the door behind them. Ai tried to glare at them, but her eyes wouldn't respond to her commands.

"Conan-kun! Conan-kun! Oh please, don't let anything happen to you!" Ran cried.

"It'll be okay..." Ai heard herself whispering. Even though she knew it wasn't. Whatever possessed her to say such a thing?

----

"Grrrrr!" Shinichi growled angrily. Somehow, the Black Organisation had managed to get a message into his letterbox without him hearing anything, and that letter informed him that the Black Organisation had Ran and 'Conan', and if he were to save them, he had to go to a certain address. If he called the police, they would be killed. He had been confused at first, because he _was_ Conan, but he immediately realised that Ai must have dressed up as him again.

What was even more annoying was the note at Agasa's house, informing him that Ai had 'borrowed' his skateboard, and will return it when she gets the chance. Meaning that he had to take the underground. [A/N: I don't know what you call those trains that run underground.] When he finally reached his destination, he was out of breath. But he HAD to save Ran and Ai!

He walked into the building without showing any signs of fear. Was this the Black Organisation's headquarters? Why had they _invited_ him to walk into their headquarters? Unless... unless they were planning to kill him. Why hadn't he thought of it earlier? They were looking for him to kill him, it was plain carelessness that he had forgotten. But it was too late now.

A shadow blocked the dim light that was in the corridor. Shinichi looked up, half-fearfully, half-determinedly. Gin.

"Hm. So you came. I thought you would be more interested in self-preservation than saving loved ones," Gin said, almost amusedly. But Shinichi knew better.

"What do you want me to do?!" Shinichi spat.

"Well. First I'd like you to see something," Gin said, almost leisurely. "Follow me." He began walking, navigating his way in the saky corridors. Shinichi followed, not knowing what to do. Gin flung open a door. Inside were Ran and 'Conan', both looking like they were deeply asleep.

"Did you drug them?!" Shinichi gasped.

Gin smiled. "Well, that bitch was easier to drug. That little boy was suspicious that there were poison in the water we gave them, so I had to use a stronger drug on him," he said as if he was saying that one plus one equals two.

"Wha-?" Shinichi's mind was working overtime. Ai knew that they were trying to poison them; could she have figured out why they kidnapped Ran? How? She wasn't a detective, like him!

"So, we have the pleasure of bringing you here to tell us which one you want to save," Gin continued calmly. "Of course, you will die with the other, if you haven't figured it our yet. This was an effective trap, wasn't it?"

Shinichi fumed. How could he have been so stupid? Yes, he knew that they were probably going to kill him anyway, but to drag Ran into it, he was way too careless.

"So, who are you going to choose?"

Shinichi thought. Well, of course he had thought that if it came to this, he would choose Ran. But it didn't seem fair that Ai should die; she had done so much for him. She had created the antidote for him. But it she didn't exist, then he wouldn't have had to endure being turned back into his seven year old self, would he? _Stop being stupid_, he told himself. It wasn't Ai's fault. She was forced to make it; she can't be blamed for being her parent's daughter of being a prodigy, could she? She was always there for him. She always tried to help him when she could, not worrying about her own safety.

"Ran," he said, hoping, hoping with all his heart that Gin was going to use reverse psychology [A/N: I think that's that it's called] and let Ai go instead.

Well, was it good? I think it's a pretty good one. I told my dad about and now he wants to read my stories! Noooooo!

xxx luv Jess


	3. Disguise

Author's Notes: Nothing much, but PPLEASEEE review!

Disclaimer: What does this word mean? Yup, you got it right! From now on, if you want a disclaimer, you gotta refer to the first chapters.

----

"Ran," he said, hoping, hoping with all his heart that Gin was going to use reverse psychology [A/N: I think that's that it's called] and let Ai go instead.

"We thought you'd say that," Gin smirked. "Unfortunately, we're going to let the brat go instead. Now, we'll let you choose how you die. By blood loss, starvation, deprivation of water, gunshots and bullets, chemicals, etc, etc. Well? What do you choose?"

"Let Ai - I mean, Conan go first," Shinichi ordered.

"Oh? We'll let him go _after_ you die. That's fair, isn't it?" Gin said.

Shinichi looked around, desperately hoping that there's something for him to kick. His eyes settled on a black box in a corner. "Look at me!" [A/N: That's what Conan says when he kicks stuff in the Chinese version] he cried. The box hit Gin, then Vodka. They were both knocked off balance, but not unconscious. Shinichi surveyed his surroundings desperately, trying to find something that might carry Ran out of there, but, as he thought, there was nothing. He grabbed Ai and fled.

----

"WHAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN RAN IS STILL IN THE HEADQUARTERS?!?!?!" Ai yelled.

"Well, I kicked a black box I found in a carner, but that only knocked Gin and Vodka unconscious," Shinichi explained. "There was nothing I could do to reach Ran and carry her out of there with the time I had, so I carried you out instead."

"Oh, I see..." Ai stared off into the distance, a plan already forming inside her head. She rushed off to her lab/the cellar. (They were in Agasa's house, by the way.) When she came out, she was Shiho again.

"Wha-?" Shinichi gaped. "Why are you turning back into Shiho _now_?"

"I have to, for my plan to work!" Shiho said, rushing around, stuffing various things into her pocket.

"Huh? Your plan? Care to share what exactly it is?"

"No, all you have to do is stay here and keep a lookout. You'll know what it is, afterwards, " said Shiho, and rushed out of the door, leaving Shinichi staring after her, dumbfounded.

----

Ran started running from the cell, careful to make a lot of noise. [A/N: This is not a typo.] She smiled as she heard thundering footsteps following after her, and yelling, and when she was far away enough, she let her pursuers catch a glimpse of her.

"It's that woman!"

"Everyone, run after her!"

"You mustn't let her escape!"

"Go to the opposite side and bar her way!"

"Don't let her escape, no matter what!"

Shouts echoed through the corridors. Ran smirked, and started slowing down, almost letting her chasers catch her, letting them think that she was running out of breath. Suddenly she saw people barring her way.

She turned left, and pushed into the false wall. The wall flipped over, and suddenly she was on the other side. The black organisation members gasped. How had she, a girl who hasn't been in the building before, know that wall? When even they didn't. How?

But nevertheless, they kept on running, following that girl.

Ran smiled. Let them wonder, she thought, and dropped down into another secret pathway underground, hearing her pursuers wonder and gasp. This was fun. She knew this building and its secret pathways, doors, passages (etc) like the back of her hand. [A/N: These sentences are not typos. You'll know why when you get to the end of this chapter.]

After some more twists, turns, and everything else, Ran reached broad daylight. She was in a street, a street full of people. Normal people, and other certain hidden people she'd called here earlier.

"Who are you?" A organisation member who had saw her escaping first, asked. "You're not Mouri Ran, are you?"

"No, I'm not," the girl agreed, pulling off her wig. "Recognise me?"

"Sherry."

----

Well, that's it for another chapter! Hope you liked it! My favourite character is Ai Haibara/Shiho Miyano/Sherry/etc if you haven't noticed. If I owned Detective Conan *which I don't, *Sigh!** Ai would be the MAIN character! I think she's totally the best! Even better than Conan Edogawa/Shinichi Kudo himself! ;) ;)

Well, I'll stop jabbering and end it here! Next chapter's coming up!


	4. Determination

Author's Notes: Yeah hi to you too... I am soooo annoyed! I watch Detective Conan on a Mandarin channel called Xing Kong, and it's stopped showing Detective Conan! It finished after season four. Nooooo! And I was soooooo looking forward to season five, cuz of episode 129 :The Girl from the Black Organisation and the University Professor Murder Case... cuz it was Ai Haibara's first appearance and one of my favourite episodes! Awwwww, so close yet to far! Nooooo! It's showing Mr. Bean now :( :( :( Waaahhhhh!

Okay, I will stop whinging now. :( :(

Disclaimer: I don't own - oh yeah. Nearly forgot. Refer to earlier chapters if you want a disclaimer.

----

"Sherry."

Seeing her holding the wig in the hand, and wearing the same clothes as Ran did that day, the organisation members wondered why they didn't think of that possibility, It was just like Sherry to be so sneaky, so clever. But why was she unveiling herself, now? Surely she knew that they were going to kill her, anyway, right? So why was she...?

Vermouth pushed forward, taking out her gun. "Ah. Sherry. How I have waited for this moment, to kill you. But-"

"It's no use even if you kill me," Shiho smirked, interrupting Vermouth midsentence. "I've already made a disk full of information all about the organisation. It's enough to identify you all. And stop you from committing any more crimes. So, if you kill me, all it'll do is alert a certain person, and they'll find the disk, and you'll all die, anyway."

"And even if we don't kill you, you'll rat out on us, right?" Vernouth said condescendingly.

"If you want to take it that way," sighed Shiho nonchalantly.

"One question, before I kill you. Where is the real Mouri Ran?" Vermouth demanded.

"Ran? Well, I suppose she'll have escaped the call by now. And travelled far away with Kudo Shinichi." said Shiho airily.

"You - This has to have something to do with you, right?" Vermouth hissed. "Why aren't you gone, too? You're planning something!"

"Yes, I'm planning something. So what? What does it have to do with you?"

"You! You bitch!" Vermouth raised her gun, preparing to fire.

_Come out now._

Suddenly, the street echoed with yells and shouts. Cries of "FBI!" "Police!" "Hands up!" reverberated. In no time, the road was filled with police officers and FBI agents.

"Guns down!" Vermouth shouted. "Or this girl will die!" she yelled, aiming her gun carefully at Shiho.

_Lower your guns! Don't let Vermouth kill her!_

The officers lowered their guns.

"I told you not to come out yet!" Shiho yelled. Who was meddling with her plans?

"Well, well, Sherry. Seems like your little plan backfired," Vermouth smirked.

Shiho stared defiantly back. "Arrest them!" she yelled at the officers.

"If you make a move, then I'll fire the gun!" Vermouth countered.

_Don't arrest them yet. DON'T let her die!  
_

The officers stayed where they were. Shiho let out an irritated sigh. So be it then.

"Don't worry about me! Just arrest Vermouth and the others!" she shouted.

_Don't._

The officers didn't move.

What was _wrong_ with them? Shiho sighed again. "Why are you so worried about my safety?! I was in the Black Organisation. I've killed lots of people indirectly with that drug I made! I deserve to die, don't I?"

"NO, you don't! You've reformed, changed your ways, and are an honourable person now!"

Shiho whipped around. Who was that? Who had that ridiculous idea in their heads?

Vermouth seethed. Those words, she detested those words. Did they really think it was true?!?!? She angrily fired the gun.

_BAM_.

Shiho whipped back around again, to face Vermouth. Almost in slow motion, she watched the bullet come towards her. She braced herself for the pain of it hitting her.

It never came. Suddenly she was being pushed out of the way, to fall on the ground, and the other person taking the pain.

Who was it? Who would do such a thing?

"Kudo!" Shiho gasped, running over towards him. "Why did you do that? Are you okay?"

Shinichi attempted to smile. "Yeah," he said weakly.

Shiho's mind began racing again. If Shinichi wasn't with Ran, then where was she? Why had her plans gone so wrong?

"Sorry!" she gasped. "But I've got to go now. Ran's in danger, if my assumptions are right. I'll leave you in charge of the officers! Hop you'll be alright!"

----

Ran stared at the note in her hand. It gave instructions for her to escape to the organisation, and what to do after. But who was that person? Miyano Shiho? Who was she?

Why had they thrown the note, with the key wrapped inside it, instead of giving it in person to her?

They seemed like they were in the organisation, or knew everything about it, to be able to find that exact key for her handcuffs.

She read the note again.

_To Mouri Ran,_

_This key wrapped inside this note is the key for the handcuffs that you're currently bound to._

_First unlock the handcuffs, then go to the middle of the room._

_If you looks carefully enough on the ground, you will see a square about one metres in length and width._

_Go onto the left side of the square, and push down on it._

_It will flip over, and underneath there is a secret passageway leading away from the headquarters._

_When you get out, call Kudo Shinichi and tell him to escape with you._

_Tell him that I said so.  
_

_Miyano Shiho._

Ran had done everything on the list, except for the last instruction. She hadn't been able to reach Shinichi on his mobile or home phone, but she was fine about it. After all, how dangerous could now be, after being kidnapped by the organisation?

----

Shiho ran, and ran. Luckily she had put one of Conan/Shinichi's transmitters on the note, and borrowed a pair of his glasses. She knew where Ran was now.

Suddenly she ran smack-bang into another person. "Sorry," she muttered, but realised it was Ran. Just her luck, to crash right into her!

"You're in danger right now, you've gotta get out of here!" she gasped.

"Sorry? I didn't get that," Ran said, looking mystified.

"Someone might kill you any moment now, especially if you stay here!" Shiho rephrased her words.

"Wha-? How did you know?" Ran asked. "Or... maybe, just maybe, are you _the_ Miyano Shiho...?"

"I see you read my letter," Shiho said, sarcastically as ever, even though she knew now wasn't the time. "In any case, she might have to go...???" She grabbed Ran's arm, and started running again. The other members of the organisation might be around here somewhere!

Sure enough, when the sniper caught sight of the traitorous strawberry-blonde, he started firing. Bullets whizzed past the girls, as they sprinted for cover. Not seeing anywhere else to run, they headed for a dark alley instead. At least he wouldn't be able to see them well.

They didn't know about the other person following them. Seeing them head into the dark alley, he took his chance. He pointed his gun at Ran, and fired.

Ran turned around, sloowwwlllyyy... and almost saw the bullet heading for her. "AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" she screamed.

She didn't feel the pain, as she thought she would. She only felt herself being pushed to the side.

Shiho stared upwards as she braced for the bullet to hit her. _After all_, she told herself, _that's what Kudo did for me. It's only fair that I do this for Ran._

She doubled over in pain, while Ran stared at her, wide-eyed. Then Ran took action.

She kicked the man in the stomach, and tackled him to the ground. The gun fell over to near Shiho, and she took it, and fired out all the remaining bullets. Then Ran looked at Shiho, as if to say, _what do I do now?_

"Handcuffs," Shiho croaked, and threw Ran her pair. Ran handcuffed the man to a pole.

"I'll go and call the police." Ran said, taking out her mobile phone. "Oh no! There isn't a signal here! I'll go out of the alley, and you stay here with the man."

----

"Sherry," The man smiled cruelly, even though he was handcuffed to the pole. "So nice to see you again."

"Same goes for you," Shiho replied sarcastically, with a lot of effort.

"I have a question for you," the man said. "Where is Kudo Shinichi?"

"Why should I tell you?" Shiho said.

"Oh, but if you're not going to, then, I'll make you," The man's smile grew wider. he took out a knife, and slashed it at Shiho's arm. Blood spurted out. Shiho tried to move away, but she couldn't. The pain was too big.

"Hm? Not going to tell?" the man smirked. "Well, your death will be a slow and painful death, then." He took out a syringe, and jabbed it into her shoulder. Shiho refused to say anything.

"You're stubborn, aren't you?" the man sneered. "You can't keep this up. You won't be able to keep this up."

Another slash of the knife.

Another jab of the syringe.

"You'll die, at this rate."

Jab of another syringe. How many did he have?

Yet another syringe.

A knife slash.

"You prefer to die? Well, I'll give you your wish, then. One more does of this" - he held up another syringe - "and you'll die."

Shiho kept her mouth shut.

"Well, that's it, then," he man snickered. He injected it slllloooowwwlllyyy.

"_**STOP!**_"

Shiho looked around, dizzily. Who was that? The world began swimming.

"_**SHIHO-SAN!**_"

Who was it? Who?

A figure came slowlllyyy into focus. _Ran?_ With a whole lot of people following her...

_WHY?_ _Why_ had it come to _this?_

----

Well, this is a looooooooonnnnnnnnnnnggggggg (x10000000000000000) chapter! I kind of got carried away, but still....

I'm really bad at violence/pain/etc scenes, just letting you know that, even though you've probably realised already. In any case, I'm off to play soccer. (Okayyyyy.... didn't know why I said that...)

Anyway, hoped ya liked it!

xx luv Jess


	5. Farewell

Author's Notes: This story is coming to an end! Yeah, I know, I know, it's not like other people's forty chapter long stories, but still. Please read! And P.S. I am going to finish my other stories soon.

This is a funny chapter, not like the serious ones before it.

----

Shiho woke up with a start. Where was she? It was all black. Was she dead?

No, she just forgot to open her eyes, that's all. Silly! [A/N: I'm not sure if this is actually possible, but still. I wanted to write a scene like this.]

She opened her eyes, and blurry figures came into focus. Who was those people? Oh, Kudo, and Mouri.

Where was she? She saw the spotless white beds and linen, and those [weird] machines, and deduced she was a the hospital. And judging by a newspaper, the black organisation members had been captured.

Shinichi and Ran were talking about something. She tuned out, until, she heard those words.

"Oh, Shinichi, are you... are you really... in love with... Shiho-san?"

Shiho's eyebrows shot right up, and she replied for him.

"No, of course he isn't, why would he be? No one would be in love with anyone like me. No... He's in love with you!" she said, a big smile on her face, looking to see their reactions, which were quite amusing. They both turned bright red, and yelled at the same time, "No, he's not!" and "No, I'm not!"

"See? That's what I mean!" Shiho said, enjoying their shocked faces.

The Ran recovered from her shock, and tried to change the subject. "Oh, Shiho-san, I didn't know you were awake! How are you feeling? I'm reaaaallllllllyyyyyyy thankful you saved me from that bullet, but why did you do it, Shiho? Why?"

But Shinichi wasn't that eager to let the subject go, though. "Haibara... you rat!" Shinichi fumed. "Ever heard of privacy?"

"No, considering you never give me that," Shiho replied.

Ran's eyes grew wide.

"H-Haibara? C-could it be...?" she stuttered. Shinichi and Shiho both realised their mistake.

"Er.. er.. I mean..." Shinichi struggled to think of an excuse.

"It's over," Shiho announced, "No need to keep it from her any longer."

"What? But you were the one who told me I had to keep it a secret!"

"But now, the organisation's gone! You DON'T need to worry anymore!"

"What? What did you want to tell me? Shiho-san?" Ran asked.

"Just Shiho is fine, and what I wanted to tell you was that" - she glanced at Shinichi - "that your beloved Edogawa Conan is really Kudo Shinichi!"

"And that you were Haibara Ai," Shinichi interjected, not to be out-done.

It took a few moments for Ran to take it all in.

"What... That means... That means... My suspicions were right! You really ARE Conan!" Ran accused. She swung around on her karate pose.

"Argh!" Shinichi ran over to the other side of Shiho's bed. "Help! If you really want to know the truth, you'll know only half of it with Haibara around!"

"It's Miyano," Shiho told him. "Shiho Miyano. Did you forget?"

"Oh.. erm.."

Shiho sighed. "Well, it began with the Black Organisation. A syndicate that commits crimes. My mother and father both joined it, and although my sister was able to live a normal life with surveillance, I grew up within it. When my parents died in an accident, I continued their work on a new drug they have been trying to develop. Finally the finishing product was APTX 4869. A drug that kills people without leaving any trace. They gave that to Kudo, at Tropical Land. But because of a rare side-effect, he turned into a child instead."

"That's why I disappeared, and you found me at Agasa's house as Conan." Shinichi put in.

"But then my sister was killed. She had joined the organisation to get us free, but in the end they killed her." Shiho's eyes filled with tears. "So of course, as the head of the department, I stopped all work on the drug! Then they imprisoned me, and scheduled my execution. So, seeing as they were goint to kill me anyway, I decided to commit suicide with APTX 4869. But instead I turned into a child, and I was able to escape through a pipe. I collapsed in front of Kudo's house and Agasa found me. The rest is history." Shiho smiled ironically.

"S-so that's how you kn-new so much about me," Ran said, feeling faint. "Can I ask you something?"

"Didn't give me much choice, did ya," Shiho said sarcastically [A/N: sorry I just HAD to write this joke! I hardly get the chance to say it.] "Go on."

"Well," Ran started, almost timidly. "Well... Why did you save me from that bullet. Why?" she burst out.

Shiho looked down. "Well..." she heard herself saying quietly. "Kudo saved me from that other one from Vermouth... so I thought..." she trailed off.

"Oh.. well..." Ran whispered. Then she said in a brighter voice, "Well, it looks like you two are meant for each other!"

Shinichi and Shiho both sweatdropped.

"What do you mean?!?" Shinichi shouted, disbelievingly.

"It seems like your kidnap had quite an impact on your brain," said Shiho calmly.

"No... it's just that you were always there for each other, and you know what the other has been through... and understand them... I couldn't compare to that, Shinichi." Ran said, quietly. "And you, Shiho, you saved me because of Shinichi, I couldn't compare to that, either."

They stared at each other.

Shiho started to feel dizzy. She tried to control her mind with all her might, but the fatigueness overpowered her. Her eyelids began feeling like lead. She fell back onto her bed with a soft thud.

Ran was the first to react. "Doctor, doctor!" she cried. "What's wrong with Shiho?"

A doctor came over, and looked at the machine monitoring Shiho's heartbeat. Ran and Shinichi looked there too.

The machine just showed a line, with no bumps or anything.

"I'm sorry," said the doctor quietly. "It's too late."

"Too late?" Ran cried. "But... but... oh, it's all my fault! If she hadn't taken the bullet in my place, this wouldn't have happened! I shouldn't've let her!"

"Don't worry," Shinichi said quietly. "It's not your fault. Shiho wouldn't have wanted you to think that."

Ran continued crying. She knew deep down that it was.

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Author's Notes: There will be another chapter... this isn't the ending yet!


	6. Author's Notes

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Author's Notes: Sorry to all those people who read this chapter before I totally changed it. I AM NOT GOING TO WRITE AND SAPPY ROMANTIC SCENE AGAIN! I suck at them, and even cringe while writing them. So, instead of putting you off with my stupid scenes, I'll just write something else.

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Thank you to** nequam-tenshi** for believing in me! I followed your advice and didn't end it there.

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Trouble is, I'm trying to think of a terrific scene that will totally destroy the black organisation. If you have any ideas, please tell me!

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Oh, and by the way, please read my other stories!

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